Zentek Ascendant, Book I: Return is the new, exciting swords-and-sorcery fantasy epic from new author Mark A. Richter.
"So captivating, I had to force myself to put it down, just to get anything else done." - Alex H.
Return's challenging adventures take place in a harsh, medieval world, a primitive throwback from a highly advanced civilization that totally collapsed millennia ago. Nature has regained control, and lack of technology has forced mankind and its non-human allies to depend on cooperation rather than coercion. People develop their abilities depending on their guild membership and its support. Some become great knights, clever thieves, or powerful sorcerers, while others struggle just to survive their lives of impoverished peasantry or miserable serfdom.
Christophane Lord, a zentek "spirit-warrior", is the duke of a small province in the chilly northeast corner of Idlewild. Darnak Sparre, a huge knight in the famous Kalsharia Cavalry, and Chris's best friend, serves their prince as Chris's bodyguard. An exquisite but ragged novice thief named Minx plays a small part at first, but watch closely as this insouciant, ferocious beauty makes her clandestine, provocative way into the heart of the tale.
The story begins in the vast southwestern Idlewild desert, where Chris and Darnak narrowly escape the first in a mysterious series of vicious assassination attempts. On their weary way home from an extended diplomatic assignment, they chance upon some hardy friends who join them along their journey, in spite, or maybe because, of the hazards they face. Besought by multiple obstacles of different terrains, rural inns and urban intrigue, they make their precarious course across the treacherous wilds over the many miles, overcoming diverse, often lethal challenges to their lives and skills along the way.
"Chris made it a point never to ignore his intuition discipline.
"He felt that small cringe in his mind warn of danger, imminent death ahead, as he and Darnak rode down the desert road. He reined in his horse. Hard.
"The horse reared, emitted a strange, weak snort and crashed to the ground. Chris leaped clear and tumbled to the cobbled road, his cloak flapping out around him, like a large, two-toned bird, sandy hued on top, dark blue-gray underneath. On his way down, for a fraction of a moment, he took in a glance of the fletching of an arrow that had pierced his horse's chest, not too far from where his own vulnerable midsection would have been. The zentek awareness he had honed for years paid off as his intuition saved his life. Again...."
Complete with a full color map of the entire western land mass of Wilderness, Return also includes a sneak preview of Book II: Minx.
Join Chris, Darnak and Minx in the first installment of the greatest adventure of their lifetimes....
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